Convertible general-service ballast-car.



A. CAMPBELL.-

CONVERTIBLE GENERAL SERVICE BALLAST CAR.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1915.

1 164,918. Patented Dec. 21, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

J me/z COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,wAsl-I|Nc'ruu, h. .1

A. CAMPBELL. CONVERTIBLE GENERAL SERVICE BALLAST CAR. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10, 1915.

1,164,918. Patented Dec.21,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- mLulnBlA PLANOGRAPH c0 WASHINGTON, n. c.

U HE STATES PATET ARGYLE CAMPBELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS ASSIGNOR TO ENTERPRISE RAILWAY EQUIPMENT COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CONVERTIBLE GENERAL-SERVICE BALLAST-CAR.

construction shown in my priorlatent 1054089 of February 25, 1913.

The object of the invention is to provide a car adapted either for general service or ballast use wherein the side dump floor doors are adapted tobe unhinged and disposed so as to form the bottoms of the hopers. I P Another object of the'invention is to provide a car of the type above indicated wherein is employed door operating mechanism including a plurality of links and so arranged that in the closed position of the doors, torsional strains on'the shafts are eliminated.

The invention furthermore consists in the improvementsin the'parts and devices, and

'in the novel combinations of the parts and devices herein shown, described and claimed. In the drawing forming a partof this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of half a car showing my improvements in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central sectional view of the structure illustrated in F ig. 1, but showing the opposite end of the car, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view of the car, the left-hand portion of said figure showing the position of the partswhen the car is adapted for side dumping and the left-hand portion of'saidfigure showing the position of the parts when thecarris being utilized as a center dump hopper 'or'ballastcar.

In said drawing, the car body is shown as provided with endw alls 10, side walls 11,

having inwardly inclined lower portions 12, side stakes 13, diagonal braces lfl'and center sills 15 The car is shown as provided with a hopper section intermediate the trucks, the hoppers being formed by transversely. extending diaphragms 16 and end,

Patented Dec. 21', 1 915.

Application file d .Tune 10, 1915. Serial No; 33,238.

triangular shaped hopper sheets 1717. Over the tops of the channels forming the center sills extends longitudinally of the car an A-shaped sheet 18 to the top of which is secured a longitudinally extending floor plate 19. Atthe ends'of the car, in the construction which I have shown, the floor section 20 is permanent and when the car is being used for ballast service, temporary end walls composed of boards may be 1nserted in the grooves 212l formed therefor on the inside of the car in line with the stakes at the'ends of the hopper section. When the full length of the car is being utilized, the temporary end wall boards may be stored in similar grooves 22 at the ends of-the car.

Over the hopper section, the floor of the car is formed by a plurality of side dump floor doors 23, one for each hopper, said doors 23 being detachably hinged at their inner. edges as indicated at 21. Each of the doors 225. extends out slightly beyond the lower edges ofthe'side walls and is also provided with a pair of outwardlyand downwardly inclined arms or brackets 25.

-' Extending lengthwise of the car, on each side thereof, and within the space provided between the .1 side stakes, tops of the diaphragm and inclined lower portions of the sidewalls, are operating shafts 26-26. Thesh'afts are rotatably mounted in suitable bearings attached to bracing plates 126 secured to the stakes, side walls and diaphragms. The shafts 26' have 'mounted thereon a plurality of hubs or drums 27 corresponding in number to the number 'of arms or brackets 25 on the hinged fioor doors. Extending between each of said drums 27 .and its corresponding arm or bracket 25, is a link connection consisting of four pivotally connected links 28, 29, 30, 31 and a hook shaped link 32, the pivotal connectionbetween the latter and the link a means. Each of the hoppers of thecar is provided with-a center dump hinged door 35, the

doors 35 being hinged aioag their-upper edges beneath the channels of the center 'silli Each set of doors 35 on the opposite sides of the central line of the car is operatedfrom:

a longitudinally extending shaft 36 mounted in suitable bearing brackets 37' secured to plates or sheets. depending from and at- V tached to the diaphragm 16. On each shaft and h 10.01. illi pass either through. the cen e .Qfhe, aftfoli below. .the. latter; to

thereby relieve the shaft from, torsional ain henthe doors, areclosed and. overcome; any, tendency, of the. shaft: to rotate when load is; on; the doors. The. shafts 36*36. are. preferably simultaneously-w operated by means; of, a transverse, shaft, .40 (see Fig. l), the, latter having suitable; worm andgear c nnections. itheachoftheshafts 36 located; at. theend of the; hopper section,

but which .have not;deemed itnecessary to Sh si ethis. construction, is well; known. A, Suitable ratchet. device. 41, is provided. at

.the end .ofthe; shaftAO,.thesamebeingillus- 'trated conventionally. Extending: lengthwiseof-the carat thebottoms of-the'series of hoppers on each side of thecenter lineare braces or supportswhich, in the form shown,

each comprises-a Z bar 42 and.an.angle.4:3,

lit being understood thattheZ barsand. an-

gles are secured together; and in turn. are secured to the .endhopper. sheets -1'717.

hen, thecar is used, for carrying ma terial, in. bulk, the doors 23 are retained .in

the position shown infull lines on the lefthand side, of, Fig, 3. For, side, dumping. the doors, are retained inthe sameposition. and may be. let downto dump the .loadbyfrotat ing the operating shaft 26,;the open. position of the. doors 23.. being, indicated by: dotted lines on the left-hand side of-.Fig.;,3. When the car isjbeing utilized for carrying ballast orasacenter dumphopper, the doors23 are {unhinged from thehingebu-tts 44, and their I brackets 4c.545 at thebottomsofthe hop-' inner edges, are then pinned or bolted to pers. At the same time, the arms;25 .of-each doorare detached from their pivotal connections at 33 with thehook-shaped links .32 and; arefconnected with the hook shaped links 32 at a higher point asindicated at l6.

By this means I am enabled to sustain the load on. the doors, in. this position directly beneath the operating shafts 26 so that when the doors23 form the bottoms ofrthe hoppers there is still no tendency for the shafts 26 to 'be-rotated. As will be understood, fby providing a worm and worm .gear

' tion occupiedlby said'members;

connectibn betwe'en the transverse operating shaft 40 and the shafts 36, the doors 35 may beheldin any adjusted open 'position' to thereby regulate" the streams of ballast from the lear as the latter is moved along the trace" Although I have herein shown and descri'b'ed*w'hat I now consider the preferred embodiment ofmy improvement, yet I am aware that changes and modifications may be made in the details of-con'structionf and arrangement of; parts vwithout.)departing from: the spirit ofithe' invention and I, con-.-. template; all such changes andmodific'ations as comewithin the scope of. the claims; appended hereto. 1 Icl'aimz:

1..In1a car-0f the. character described, the combination with a car body provided with a hopper section and having hinged center dump,hopper doors, of aplurality of hinged side dumpfloor doors, the. latter. being adapted to be. unhinged and. positionedv so asto; form: thebottoms: ofthe. hoppers, operating shaftsfor saidsidedump doors, drums? on said shafts, fiexibleiconnections between each; drum and, side dump. doorv each including; .a hook shaped link. arranged. to rest; on

theshaftyto thereby relieventhe-shaftfrom -torsion,.andglongitudinally extending braces atthebottomsiof the hoppers.

2. In a car of the character described, the combination." with a car. body provided withjauhopperseotion and having hinged,

center dump. hopper. doors, of E a plurality of hinged,..side dumpj doors, the latter being detachablyhingedto the car and adaptedv to I be, positioned. to form: the bottoms of the hoppers, operating shafts for said. center dump hopper doors, connections. between saidshaftsand center dump hopper. doors including hook, shaped links. adapted to'take over theshafts and thus eliminate tendency of;tlie. shaft to be. rotated when load is. on the: doors and longitudinally extending braces :at the bottoms ofthehoppers and securedtotheend hopper sheets. r

3.In a.car of thecharacter described the Combination withta car body provided with aghoppersection, of a=plurality of members, corresponding in number. to; the number of hoppers and.v adapted: to serve. interchangeably-as floor; portions: of the. car extending from the center-sill to"theisides-thereof or'. as downwardly and inwardly'inclined bottoms of the hoppers, devices for. detachably. supporting said fmembers along theirv inner tion'syvarying in accordance with theiposi- V 4. In a cariof thecharacter described, the

combination with. a; car body andprovided with a hopper section having hinged, center dump hopper doors, of a plurality of side dump floor doors located over the hopper section of the car, said floor doors being detachably hinged along their inner edges, and when unhinged adapted to form bottoms of the hoppers, operating shafts for said floor doors, laterally extended brackets from the outer edges of said doors, andadjustable length link connections between said brackets and said shafts.

5. In a car of the character described, the V combination with a car body provided with a hopper section and having hinged, center dump hopper doors, of a plurality of detachably hinged side dump floor doors the latter being adapted to form the bottoms of the hoppers, operating shafts for said floor doors, variable length link connections between said floor doors and said shafts, operating shafts for said hopper doors, and flexible connections between said hopper doors and said hopper door shafts including pivotally connected members some of which are of hook shape and adapted to rest upon the shafts.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 6th day of May, 1915.

ARGYLE CAMPBELL.

Witness:

Josnrn HARRIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

